After an incredible 2-night stay in Sesriem and the Sossusvlei area, we hit the road for Walvis Bay and Swakopmund on Namibia’s coast. These cities are just 30 minutes apart, so most travellers base themselves in one (usually Swakopmund) and visit the other as a day trip or tour starting point.
I have a soft spot for Walvis Bay since it’s where I stayed on my first visit to Namibia. That’s why we decided to split our time between both places instead of picking just one.
Getting to Walvis Bay from Sesriem + a Quick Stop at Solitaire…
We drove from Sesriem to Walvis Bay, which took us around 4 hours. Along the route, we stopped at Solitaire, a tiny settlement that’s become a well-known waypoint for travellers. This place is also famous for its bakery, so naturally, we couldn’t resist sampling their renowned apple pie while we were there.
Where We stayed in Walvis Bay
We pressed on toward Walvis Bay, enjoying a smooth journey that brought us to our lodging. We stayed at a place called “Avodation”, an Airbnb-style listing I found on Booking.com. I don’t see it currently listed but it was a lovely place to stay and was conveniently situated just a short stroll from the waterfront.
For our first evening in Walvis Bay, we took a walk to Anchors Restaurant, a place our host spoke highly of. We enjoyed our dinner there while taking in the view of the sunset and watching boats anchored in the water gently rise and fall. The main courses were satisfying, but we found the wine and appetizers particularly impressive.
The next morning, Mark arranged for us to go on a half-day kayaking tour with Eco Marine Kayak Tours. But this was no ordinary kayak expedition because we were going to be kayaking in the Walvis Bay lagoon with a colony of Cape fur seals.
Kayaking With Cape Fur Seals in Walvis Bay
We joined the carpool as soon as it arrived from Swakopmund and headed towards Pelican Point, where our tour would begin. During the drive, our guide filled us in on the local area and the wildlife we might encounter on our adventure.
We spotted a pack of jackals, which was exciting. Countless flamingos and avocets dotted the landscape, and of course, seals were abundant. Our guide mentioned that the area is also frequented by dolphins, and even humpback whales make appearances, particularly during their migration season.
Reaching the starting point, we were given a quick rundown and handed waterproof gear and bags for our things. Then we grabbed our paddles, hopped in our kayaks, and pushed off into the water.
Within minutes, we were surrounded by hundreds of curious seals, diving in and out of the water, chasing our paddles and fighting for spots atop our kayaks!
This activity was certainly one of the highlights of our trip to Namibia. We had a great time with the sea puppies and lucked out with the weather too.
We paddled around for about an hour before heading back to shore. The tour crew had a light breakfast waiting for us when we got back, which was a nice touch. Then they drove us back to town, but not before swinging by the “pink lakes” of Walvis Bay for a quick look. It was a cool little detour to cap off the morning.
Visiting the Pink Lake
These “pink lakes” are actually salt pans that have a distinctive pink hue. This colour comes from microorganisms (halobacteria) that thrive in high-salinity environments. As part of their energy-production process, they produce a red pigment, giving the salt pans their unique appearance. The lakes are part of large-scale salt works in the area.
After the tour, we returned to our accommodation to enjoy some downtime before heading out for an early dinner at Godenfang.
We really enjoyed the ambience of this restaurant, and our meals were delightful. This visit marked the end of our time in Walvis Bay – well, almost. After moving to Swakopmund, we returned to the Walvis Bay area as we were en route to Sandwich Harbour. So I guess our Walvis Bay adventure wasn’t quite over after all!
The kayaking looks extraordinary! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Jo! It really was such a unique activity for us and was a lot of fun too!